A FEARLESS mum who bounced back after losing her son in tragic circumstances was today being rewarded for her voluntary work with the homeless.

Susan Garrett's son, Ian Beach, died alone in a Blackburn bedsit when he was 23.

He had long-standing addictions to drink and drugs although an inquest recorded an open verdict on his death.

But his grieving mum fought back from adversity to find a new lease of life as a volunteer at the Nightsafe homeless shelter in Blackburn.

Today she was named the North West winner of the Nationwide Award for Voluntary Endeavour. She travelled to Liverpool to receive her prize, a commemorative plaque and a £50 dining out voucher and will now go through to the national final.

For more than two years, she has cooked for homeless people at Nightsafe, offered advice and run alcohol abuse workshops.

Susan, 52, of East Park Road, Blackburn, said: "I am over the moon. I love the work at Nightsafe.

"I cook meals for the homeless people who come in and we all have a good chinwag." Susan loved her son despite him stealing from her, demanding cash with menaces, slashing her arm with a kitchen knife and smashing up her home with a golf club. Throughout his life, he was in and out of prison and was shunted around 41 different addresses in Lancashire.

To pay for his addiction he stole, burgled and sold everything he ever had, including his body. He was found dead in a bedsit in Shear Brow, Blackburn, where his body was not discovered for several weeks.

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